Kathorus Township Tour

Katlehong, a township 30 minutes east of Johannesburg, was established in the 1950s. It became a location for migrant workers coming to work in the mines on the Johannesburg Reef.

Today Katlehong is fused with two other townships, Vosloorus and Thokoza, and hence named Kathorus. It consists of a number of informal settlements with a history of involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle in the early 1990s. Much of this struggle was accompanied by intense violence, mostly concentrated in and around the mine hostels; single-sex living quarters in which men from the rural areas were forced to live in abominable conditions.

The following extract gives a short explanation of the reasons for the bitter conflict that ensued in this area:

“Thokoza had the highest death toll of any township during the four years of war that began in 1990, shortly before Mandela’s release…. Thokoza is a small, nondescript township. The main road, Khumalo Street, runs north-south for four kilometres through an elongated triangle from one set of migrant workers’ hostels to another. At its southern end, Khumalo Street turns east for a further two kilometres until it reaches three more hostels…, grouped together and neighbouring the Katlehong township…. The conflict in Thokoza pitted the hostel-dwellers against local householders, migrants against residents……Most residents owed allegiance to the ANC, and relied for protection on volunteers who grouped themselves into self-defence units made up of militant youths and the occasional trained guerrillas who were given weapons by the armed wings of the liberation movements. Inside the hostels, the Zulu inhabitants were almost all combatants linked to other hostels by a controlling web of indunas or headmen, taking orders from the Inkatha leadership. This networking ensured the conflict spread rapidly from township to township, and that the ubiquitous hostels were at the centre of every conflict.”

Today the most famous of these hostels – the one in Khumalo Street – called “Mshayazafe” (Beat him to death) is open to visitors and boasts a richness of cultural traditions and customs practise mostly by the Zulu people.

Kathorus is also fast gaining a reputation as an area rich in spiritual traditions and beliefs, ranging from a number of African independent churches to centres that ordain sangomas (traditional healers).

Kathorus is, therefore, an ideal and fascinating place to experience African culture in a modern society. The home of an esteemed inyanga (herbalist) houses a recording studio where young people learn about modern communication systems. Saturday classes are run for the youth by the African Heritage Kara Institute, and there is an Art Centre that showcases local talent.

Your guide will be a local person who has grown up and lived in this area all his life, and who has experienced both the pain of the past and the hope of the future.

Review of TALK Tourism Immersion Visit by a student at Delaware University, USA

“This was an unbelievable experience. One that truly shows what life in South Africa for the average person is like. The son of the family I stayed with showed me a night life in Soweto that I could not have experienced on my own. Everyone was so friendly that I never felt so comfortable being the only white person. There was no difference in colour – we were all the same”.

Review of TALK Tours in the Lonely Planet Guide to South Africa

"TALK arranges 'immersion visits' where you spend time living in a community while learning the language (or just experiencing the culture - it's up to you). This can be anything from a weekend in Soweto to a month or longer in KwaZulu-Natal. TALK can organise just about anything for small groups, including meals with African families and visits to townships, with the emphasis on people-to-people contact.
VISITING SOWETO : If you're interested in something along the lines of cultural immersion rather than sightseeing contact the TALK project for details of its Soweto homestay and tour programs."

Follow me on Twitter

Review of TALK Tourism by a recent visitor

"The people from Phaphama were just amazing. They basically bent over backwards for me. I have an interest in choral music : they organized an evening at a choir practice for me. I talked about visiting a school : they made it possible for me to spend a day in an elementary school. I mentioned wanting to see the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill in Johannesburg : they found a way to get me there. At the end of my stay, I had to go and meet my tour group at the other end of town and was unsure how to get there: they did much more than help me find my way, they actually took me there!
I have had the opportunity to experience homestays in several other countries, organized by different organisms, but this one beats them all! My 3 days in Soweto were the highlight of my trip. I feel that I have had a glimpse into "real" South African life. If I could, I would do it all over again, and if I ever go back, it will be for an extended rural homestay organized through Phaphama."